Blood transfusions could lead to malaria infections in sub-Saharan Africa

The study shows that as many as 25% of blood bank supplies in sub-Saharan Africa contain malaria parasites.

New malaria infections could be aided by blood transfusions, scientists have warned, emphasising the need for higher screening standards to save patients.

In a new study, researchers from the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) found that as many as 25 percent of blood bank supplies in sub-Saharan Africa contain malaria parasites.

This could be a big risk as patients in need of more blood are often vulnerable to new infections.

Another study focusing on blood supply in Equatorial Guinea’s capital, Malabo, found that there were even higher levels of dormant malaria infection, as high as 89 percent, but undetectable by common diagnostic tools.

These were the findings presented by scientists at the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan African Malaria Conference in Dakar, Senegal, early last week, Kenya’s Daily Nation reported on Thursday.

Sub-Saharan African countries like Kenya carry the highest burden of malaria in the world, making malaria the highest killer of children under five years.

In Kenya, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says 70 percent of the estimated 46 million people are at risk of contracting malaria and 3,000 children under five die every year from the disease.

One in three people are infected with malaria in the Lake Victorian region where the prevalence is highest although the prevalence has been lowered from 38 percent.